Police: fatal incident at Canyon High was assault, not fight

Updated 4:10 pm, Friday, November 22, 2013

NEW BRAUNFELS — The death of a Canyon High School sophomore at the hands of a classmate had this shocked community abuzz with Internet-fed rumors Thursday about what sparked the confrontation.

Authorities said they're still trying to pin down the motive but know how it happened: the two-punch attack on Logan Davidson, 15, early Tuesday in a school hallway was witnessed by several students and captured on more than one video camera.

An unidentified suspect, also 15, was at a juvenile detention center in Guadalupe County, ordered held on a charge of aggravated assault. New Braunfels police said any upgrade to that charge will be up to the district attorney's office once officers finish their investigation.

No evidence of a bullying history between the boys had been verified, police Capt. John McDonald said, discounting online speculation. Punched twice in the head, Logan fell, striking his head on a wall, he said.

“This was an assault. This was not a fight,” McDonald said. “They had just left the same class and the offender waited outside to assault the victim when he emerged.”

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Jacob Stansel, a sophomore at Canyon High School carries ribbons as he helps members of Moms for New Braunfels tie red ribbons on trees and signs along Seguin St. in New Braunfels, TX for Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson who was assaulted at school and later died of his injuries. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. less

Jacob Stansel, a sophomore at Canyon High School carries ribbons as he helps members of Moms for New Braunfels tie red ribbons on trees and signs along Seguin St. in New Braunfels, TX for Canyon High School ... more

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Erin Lippe, of Moms of New Braunfels, ties a ribbon, the Canyon High School school colors, around a tree in front of the Civic Center in New Braunfels, TX, where sophomore student Logan Davidson was assaulted at school and later died of his injuries. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. less

Erin Lippe, of Moms of New Braunfels, ties a ribbon, the Canyon High School school colors, around a tree in front of the Civic Center in New Braunfels, TX, where sophomore student Logan Davidson was assaulted ... more

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Clarice Stansel a student at Canyon High School, writes a measage to Logan Davidson, as she helps members of Moms for New Braunfels tie red ribbons on trees and signs along Seguin St. in New Braunfels, TX for Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson who was assaulted at school and later died of his injuries. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. less

Clarice Stansel a student at Canyon High School, writes a measage to Logan Davidson, as she helps members of Moms for New Braunfels tie red ribbons on trees and signs along Seguin St. in New Braunfels, TX for ... more

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Mitch Davidson speaks to media in front of the Civic Center in New Braunfels, TX. He is the uncle of Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson who was assaulted at school and later died of his injuries. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. less

Mitch Davidson speaks to media in front of the Civic Center in New Braunfels, TX. He is the uncle of Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson who was assaulted at school and later died of his ... more

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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An altar dedicated to Logan Davidson, a Canyon High School student who died after being beaten recently, was set up at the school after a vigil last week. A reader comments on the tragedy.

An altar dedicated to Logan Davidson, a Canyon High School student who died after being beaten recently, was set up at the school after a vigil last week. A reader comments on the tragedy.

Photo: Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News

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Canyon High School in New Braunfels, TX, where sophomore student Logan Davidson was assaulted and later died of his injuries. Thursdayu, Nov. 14, 2013.

Canyon High School in New Braunfels, TX, where sophomore student Logan Davidson was assaulted and later died of his injuries. Thursdayu, Nov. 14, 2013.

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Chase Gage, left, checks for updates on his cell phone about the death of Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson, with his friend Pyson Eram, right. Davidson was assaulted at school and later died of his injuries. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. Gage and Davidson had mutual friends and followed each other on social media. less

Chase Gage, left, checks for updates on his cell phone about the death of Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson, with his friend Pyson Eram, right. Davidson was assaulted at school and later died ... more

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Comal ISD Superintendent Andrew Kim speaks to the media concerning the death of Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson was assaulted and later died of his injuries. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013.

Comal ISD Superintendent Andrew Kim speaks to the media concerning the death of Canyon High School sophomore student Logan Davidson was assaulted and later died of his injuries. Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013.

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Canyon High School students attend a vigil on Thursday night, Nov. 14, 2013, for slain student Logan Davidson, who was assaulted at the school on Tuesday and died on Wednesday.

Canyon High School students attend a vigil on Thursday night, Nov. 14, 2013, for slain student Logan Davidson, who was assaulted at the school on Tuesday and died on Wednesday.

Photo: Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News

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Canyon High School students attend a vigil on Thursday night, Nov. 14, 2013, for slain student Logan Davidson, who was assaulted at the school on Tuesday and died on Wednesday.

Canyon High School students attend a vigil on Thursday night, Nov. 14, 2013, for slain student Logan Davidson, who was assaulted at the school on Tuesday and died on Wednesday.

Photo: Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News

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Canyon High School students attend a vigil on Thursday night, Nov. 14, 2013, for slain student Logan Davidson, who was assaulted at the school on Tuesday and died on Wednesday.

Canyon High School students attend a vigil on Thursday night, Nov. 14, 2013, for slain student Logan Davidson, who was assaulted at the school on Tuesday and died on Wednesday.

Photo: Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News

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Logan Davidson, 15, hit his head on a wall after being punched.

Logan Davidson, 15, hit his head on a wall after being punched.

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Police: fatal incident at Canyon High was assault, not fight

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Uniformed personnel kept news media off the high school campus, where a student-led candlelight vigil was set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Logan's uncle, Mitch Davidson of Florida, said the family was devastated by the loss of a boy he lovingly compared to a puppy and described as “a ball of energy.”

He said his nephew, a member of the Junior ROTC, had an eye toward joining the military.

Davidson said the family had no details on what led to the assault, and declined to discuss Logan's injuries. Funeral arrangements are pending.

“It's horrible,” he said at a news briefing in New Braunfels late Thursday. “We've been searching for answers for the last two days, and there are none.”

Kim and Marshall Davidson, Logan's parents, have one surviving son, Matt, who is in his 20s, Mitch Davidson said.

The group Moms of New Braunfels was preparing to display red ribbons around town as a show of support for the Davidson family.

“Its very heartbreaking,” said Erin Lippe, spokeswoman for the 5,700-mother group that's also raising money for Davidson's family through gofundme.com. If the suspect's name is made public, she predicted an account also would be set up for his family.

“Our thoughts and prayers go to the families of both students involved and we will all work to protect their privacy during this very difficult time,” Comal Independent School District Superintendent Andrew Kim said in a prepared statement. “Campus and district counselors will be available throughout the week at CHS to assist students and staff process this shocking and tragic event.”

The assault at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday had prompted a precautionary lockdown of the campus for several hours. McDonald said the suspect was taken into custody without incident.

The Bexar County medical examiner's office said Davidson was pronounced dead at about 4 p.m. Wednesday at University Hospital in San Antonio, where he had been airlifted, unconscious. An autopsy was set Thursday.

News of Logan's death fed an ongoing flood of social media postings about the violent episode.

“It's all over Facebook, but you never know what's really true,” said resident Jessica Smith, 33.

“I don't know what happened, but either way it's very sad for both families,” said Thompson, 33.

Canyon High School was described as extremely safe by Ashtin Caddell, who graduated last year, although there was regular rough-housing by boys and some fights, which she called “typical teenage things.”

“It's very heartbreaking that two lives were ruined,” Caddell, 21, she said. “One died and the other could go to prison.”

In San Antonio, school district officials reacted to the teenager's death with shock and called such an outcome rare from a schoolhouse fight or assault.

“There are altercations in schools, but I can't frankly think of another time, other than this one, where it resulted in a fatality,” said Northside Independent School District Superintendent Brian Woods. “It's just very, very unusual.”

It's so rare, it's hard to know how much can be done to prevent it, South San Independent School District spokesman Ed Suarez said.

“It depends on how the teacher or staff member feels how the situation is escalating between the students,” Suarez said. “Depending on their physical size or emotional mindset, they may opt for backup.”

San Antonio ISD spokeswoman Leslie Price said educators there work to “create an environment of trust” that encourages students to come forward with reports of planned fights or attacks.

Each situation is unique, Price said. Like the other local educators, she said too many facts from the Canyon High incident still are unknown for any direct comment on it.

People often associate violent incidents with inner-city school districts, but the New Braunfels case shows “it can happen anywhere, at any time,” Suarez said.